Week Ahead 27 - 31 August

“If you tremble with indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine.” ―

Ernesto Che Guevara

Tuesday 28 August 2018

Executive Director, Mark Heywood will interview Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi on eNCA’s Let’s Have It Out on the most burning issues facing the education system in South Africa including the government’s response to the state of sanitation in our schools. Tune in on Channel 403 at 21H30.

29 – 30 August 2018KwaZulu-Natal Field Researcher Patrick Mdletshe will attend a regional forum on social change activism hosted by one of our funders, MEDICO International at Museum Africa in Johannesburg. Patrick will be discussing SECTION27’s work on Community Health Workers.

Thursday 30 August 2018Advocate Nikki Stein will give a presentation on the Medical Schemes Amendment Bill, 2018 at the Public Service International (PSI) Conference at the Protea Hotel Parktonian. PSI is a global trade union federation with members in 163 countries. They are meeting on 29 and 30 August to discuss access to universal quality health care in South Africa.

A SECTION27 team will attend media training from legendary broadcast journalist, Chris Vick. Chris takes the teams through their paces during individual interview sessions held at Primedia Studios.

Friday 31 August 2018

SECTION27 will host a civil society partner meeting at which the provisional report of the Health Market Inquiry into the private healthcare sector will be dissected. The session will include a presentation by Professor Sharon Fonn, one of the members of the HMI panel, a response from civil society by SECTION27 Deputy Director, Umunyana Rugege, and an analysis of how the report relates to the National Health Insurance and Medical Scheme Bills by our Head of Health, Sasha Stevenson. If you wish to attend the meeting, please contact Sibongile Mtshelu at mtshelu@section27.org.za

The Department of Basic Education is due to present their Limpopo schools sanitation report according to the structural interdict granted in the Michael Komape judgment. The report relates to the Applicants compliance with the structural interdict which was granted by Judge Muller on 23 April 2018, of which the original due date was 30 July 2018. SECTION27 and Equal Education did not oppose the application for an extension.

We are saddened to hear of the death of Comrade Thabisile Tshabalala from the Treatment Action Campaign’s Katlehong North Branch. We send our deepest condolences to the family of Thabisile and her comrades.

The week that was:

On Saturday 25 August, Tendai Mafuma attended an event hosted by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation to launch a Youth Advocacy Workbook. The aim of the book is to empower today’s youth with some practical skills on how to mobilise around socio-economic and political issues including tackling racism. Tendai participated in a panel discussion with youth activists Sabeeha Motala and Zuleika Patel to discuss issues faced by youth, particularly racism, the activism campaigns they have been involved in and the importance of youth activism. The key message was that unless the youth are organised, its voice will not be heard.